Commonwealth Games: Usain Bolt show begins in Glasgow

Olympic sprint champion plans to run relay for Jamaica, first race of season.

The world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, poses with the Commonwealth Games mascot Clyde and schoolkids in Glasgow on Saturday.

By:ROB HARRISThe Associated Press, Published on Sat Jul 26 2014

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND—Almost immediately after Usain Bolt landed in Scotland, the level of hero worship demonstrated just how important the sprint star’s participation is to the Commonwealth Games.

The Jamaican has never raced before at the Commonwealths, and his slow recovery from a foot injury had put this appearance in doubt. Despite skipping the individual sprints, Bolt insists he will honour a commitment to enter the relay, both the heat and a probable final.

“I am here to run,” the six-time Olympic champion said on Saturday, fresh from the airport. “I will be running definitely.”

Bolt seemed affronted when asked if he would be a late scratch like distance runner Mo Farah, who has the same management team.

“That’s a very weird question,” Bolt said, burying his head in his hands in disbelief. “Yes, I am here to run. I don’t see why else I would travel all this way to Glasgow.”

Bolt’s appearance on the Hampden Park track for the 4x100 relay heats on Friday would be his first competitive action all year.

“As long as there’s athletes and there’s eight lanes there’s always competition,” he said. “For me, it’s something to add to my accolades over the years.”

A hamstring injury prevented Bolt appearing at the 2006 Melbourne Games and the Delhi Games were badly timed for him in October 2010.

“I told my coach I wanted to come and we said . . . it depends on how the season was going,” Bolt recalled. “I got injured early in the season and at the end we decided we can’t make it to the trials, but let’s see if we can run the 4x100. I was allowed to get into the team and that was good.”

Before racing at Hampden Park, Bolt will try to stay out of the limelight, but won’t be escaping the confines of the Games.

“I always stay in the athletes villages. It’s always fun to be among the athletes, and it makes you relax more, and just enjoying to talk and to laugh and to bond with everyone,” he said. “I try not to walk around the village too much because I tend to take a lot of pictures . . . I stay in my room most of the time.”

More on thestar.com

We value respectful and thoughtful discussion. Readers are encouraged to flag comments that fail to meet the standards outlined in our
Community Code of Conduct.
For further information, including our legal guidelines, please see our full website
Terms and Conditions.